Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race today after finishing third in the somewhat-meaningless Ames straw poll in Iowa.
Whether or not Tim Pawlenty is actually a moderate is debatable, but compared to the likes of Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul, he may as well be. And that's exactly why he couldn't gain any traction as a candidate. He isn't a psychopath, and the more he tried to look like one in an effort to appeal to psychopaths, the more fake he appeared to be.
Tim Pawlenty dropping out of the race this long before even the first primary takes place reaffirms the premise that the Republican base absolutely will not elect a moderate candidate.
Only lunatics are electable when your voting base is comprised entirely of lunatics.
The chances that President Obama will face Michele Bachmann or Rick Perry in a general election are now more likely.